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Record of Determination Transport Scotland Trunk Road and Bus Operations Document: DIRECTIVE 2011/92/EU as amended by DIRECTIVE 2014/52/EU ROADS (SCOTLAND) ACT 1984 (as amended) THE ROADS (SCOTLAND) ACT 1984 (ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT) REGULATIONS 2017 RECORD OF DETERMINATION Name of Project: A82 870 Ballachulish Location: Ballachulish, Loch Leven Bridge - Five-Year Marine Licence NN 05195 59797 Description of Project: As part of the 4G NW contract with Transport Scotland for the management and maintenance of the Scottish trunk road network, BEAR Scotland (NW Unit) are responsible for maintenance and improvement works on the bridge. The Ballachulish Bridge is a two-lane steel truss road bridge that carries the A82 trunk road across Loch Leven as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Ballachulish Bridge The following maintenance works are proposed to be undertaken on the Ballachulish Bridge over the next five years: Carriageway and footpath resurfacing Bearing Replacement 2 Transport Scotland Trunk Road and Bus Operations Document: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND PROPOSED MITIGATION: SUMMARY Issue Baseline Conditions Impact Mitigation Air and Climate There are approximately eight residential properties During the construction phase air quality impacts are likely to stem Plant, machinery and vehicles associated with the works will have engines switched off when not in north-east of the scheme within 200m and five from construction vehicles and plant on-site as well dust as a use in order to minimise emissions: residential properties witin 200m south of the scheme. result of maintenance activites., impacts on air quality are not anticipated to be significant, provided the the Site Environmental Machinery and vehicles will have been serviced regularly; Management Plan (SEMP) is adhered to and mitigation is There is a small industrial estate with four commercial A traffic management plan will be in place to control the length of time that traffic needs to idle; properties north-east of the scheme within 200m of followed. the scheme. Large material stockpiles will be avoided and drop heights will be minimised to reduce dust; and Due to the short-term nature of the works, GHG emissions from In the event of prolonged periods of dry conditions, work areas will will be dampened down where the scheme are not considered to be significant. appropriate. The contractor will will implement this measure with care to aboid mobilisation of dust that would impact the local air quality. The proposed work is not expected to affect air quality during the operational stage, as it will not result in change in traffic levels or dynamics. Cultural Heritage and Material Assets The Ballachulish Hotel is a category B listed building, The proposed works will be confined to the existing footprint of the . Mitigation as detailed in the Noise and Landscape sections will be adhered to. located approximately 80m south-west of the scheme. bridge structure and access to the Ballachulish Hotel grounds will There are three scheduled monuments within the be prohibited. Significant impacts on cultural heritage and material vicinity of the scheme. The Rubha Mor Cairn is within assets are not anticipated during construction or operation. 200m to the north-west; the Ballachulish Prehistoric Ritual Site is within 200m to the north-east; and the Ballachulish Home Farm Burial Mound is approximately 250m south-west of the scheme. Biodiversity The following good practice measures will be adhered to during the maintenance works: Onich to North Ballachulish Woods Special Area of Without mitigation, there is the potential to disturb birds and otters. Conservation (SAC) is located 1km north of the Activities that have the potential to cause disturbance can include scheme. the use of machinery, vehicles and plant, floodlighting, removal of Implementation of debris netting, protective shelters, containment; and sumps; vegetation and increased human activity. The Glen Etive and Glen Fyne SPA is 900m to the Ensure that all milling works are carried out during suitable periods of weather; south-east at its closest location. The SPA is Given the localised and temporary nature of the works, and the designated for breeding golden eagle. The nesting, absence of a reasonable pathway to affect the features and the Remove debris from gullies and drains using vacuum truck; breeding and optimal foraging habitat for the golden adherence to mitigation measures and the SEMP, significant eagle are found away from roads and on higher impacts are not anticipated to the Onich to North Ballachulish Double bag guano; elevations. Woods and Shore SSSI or SAC; the Glen Etive and Glen Fyne Contain the underbidge working platform with either debris netting or thickened sheets (if hydro- SPA or St John’s Church SSSI as a result of the proposed demolition); St John's Church SSSI is located 1.5km south-east of maintenance works as confirmed following consultation win SNH the scheme and is designated for its geology. in April 2018 (Shown in Appendix F). Layering floor of working platform to prevent any material or water going through (if hydro-demolition); Terrestrial and aquatic ecology sruveys ecological There were PMFs recorded in the vicinity of the scheme as noted Remove all waste concrete from site; habitat field surveys were undertaken within the study in the ‘Description of the Local Environment’ section. There is Adherence to relevant PPGs and GPPs including GPP5 (works and maintenance in or near water); area in 2016 by BEAR Scotland Environmental team potential for negative impacts on these species in the absence of mitigation measures. Given the nature of the works and adherence and follow-up surveys were undertaken in March Edge protection and toerails to prevent any materials dropping into water. 2018. to the mitigation measures as set out in the ‘Water’ and ‘Waste Material and Use of Natural Resources’ sections, significant Rock armour will be washed and cleaned prior to placement. impacts upon biodiversity are not anticipated as a result of the The surveys recorded the presence of otter spraints maintenance works. on the shoreline to the south-east of the bridge. An organisational otter licence (Number 118944 valid from 10 April 2018) obtained by BEAR Scotland NW Unit There is the potential of impact to otters using the area during the and Species Protection Plan will be followed during the main works until 31 December 2019 to reduce The 2018 surveys identified breeding bird habitat in disturbance to otter; these are included as Appendix F. The contractor must obtain a copy of an updated or the woodland to the south of the bridge but evidence construction phase as a result of pollution and disturbance caused extended organisational licence, or obtain a project-specific one if the organisational one is not updated, for of prior human disturbance was observed. by the presence of plant and machinery, vehicles, floodlighting and increased human activity. This could disruption to normal any works affecting otters after 31 December 2019. Conditions outlined in the licence will be followed by way of foraging routes. A well-used otter spraint was recorded on the Potential roosting and foraging opportunities for bats mitigation. shoreline to the south-east of the bridge during the site walkover. were identified in the woodland to the south of the Therefore, a disturbance licence will be required. bridge. No suitable features to support bats were Otter monitoring surveys will be required if works are conducted that could impact any potential otter couch. identified on the bridge superstructure. Cameras will be deployed for a period of 14 days to monitor the activity of otter. The requirement of these Should any discharge into the marine environment be intended The following PMFs have been recorded in the then a CAR licence will be obtained. Adherence to the good surveys will be dependent on the maintenance work in question and should be taken under the advisement of 15 Transport Scotland Trunk Road and Bus Operations Document: vicinity of the Ballachulish Bridge: practice and management measures, as listed here and in the the BEAR environmental team. Water section in this table, will result in no significant effects on . Kelp and seaweed communities on sublittoral the benthic receptors beneath and adjacent to the bridge, The following mitigation is also proposed: sediment (under the bridge); including PMFs during the construction and operational phases. Tide-swept algal communities (Laminaria Setting up of an exclusion zone of 30m around any potential otter couch; hyperborea on tide-swept infralittoral mixed substrata) on the east and west sides of the Site supervisor will brief all persons on site as part of the induction process to ensure everyone is bridge (approximately 200m away) and further aware of the presence of otter, the mitigation measures and their legal obligations; upstream in Loch Leven; The Otter Toolbox talk will be included in the Site Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) and . Horse mussel beds approximately 400m east of the bridge; and delivered to site personnel prior to commencement of works; . Sea loch eggwrack beds in Bishops Bay, A “soft start” will be implemented on the works each day. This will involve checking under/around approximately 800m north-east of the bridge. vehicles and the immediate work area and then switching on vehicles prior to works commencing, with A small watercourse flows down the shore at NN the aim of ensuring no otters or other species, are in the vicinity of
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